Car-coupling



(No Model.)

(3-. HANSGEN.

CAR COUPLING.

Patented July 22, 1884.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY/4 N. PETERS. vmoumo nflnm Washinglnn. 0.0.

I .NITEI) STATES PATENT FFIQE.

- CHARLES I-IANSGEN, OF ROGKISLAND, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 302,482, dated July 22,1884.

Application filed May 17, 1884.

:0 a whom it concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES HANSGEN, of Rock Island, in the county ofRock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Car-0ouplers; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to that class of inventions known ascar-couplers, and is intended as an improvement on Patent No. 293,325,granted jointly to myself and J. R. Coleman, February 12, 1884.

The invention consists in such details of construction and combinationsof parts as will hereinafter be distinctly pointed out and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a bottomplan view of two cars, partly broken off, in which is shown the couplingmeans constructed according to my present invention. Fig. 2 is an endelevation of a single car, showing the construction and arrangement ofthe double operating-levers; and Fig. 3 is a View in detail to moreclearly show the construction of certain parts.

The construction and general arrangement of parts differ but slightlyfrom those shown and described in the patent above referred to, suchdifferences as do exist lying in'the construction of the inner end ofthe draw-bar, and

the connection and arrangement therewith of the buffer-spring and theconstruction of the operating-levers.

Reference being had to the parts by letter, A. represents the car-body,having at its under side draw-timbers a a. Between these timbers arearranged strong metal plates 1) b, through the rear one of which worksthe pin or rod 0, co-which the inner end of the drawbar is attached,while the forward one slides between guides b b, acting to compress thebuffer-spring when two cars strike or come in contact. The rear end ofthe draw-bar has pivoted to it an end of the rod 0, as shown, and inmany instances I prefer to make the drawbar hollow and provide the pinor rod (No model.)

spring by the bar moving forward upon it. B

represents the buffer-spring, B the draw-bar, and O the spring that actsto restore the drawbar when it has been drawn or pushed aside to coupleor unconple the cars. This spring I have shown on one car to be a coiledone, while on the other it is represented as being flat. Either willanswer the purpose for which they are intended.

Pivoted to the end of the car is a doublearm lever, D, by which thedraw-bars are operated. The longer branch of this lever extends upwardlyand moves in a small guideway prepared for it in the projecting edge ofthe roof, while the shorter branch extends outward toward the side, bywhich the operation can be effected from the ground as well as the roofof the car. The shortest branch of the lever is slightly sprung inwardat the end, and when said lever is operated by either branch thereof theshortest one springs under the end of a catch or plate, a, secured tothe car, and thus is the draw-bar maintained at the posi tion to whichit is drawn until this branch of the lever is released from itsengagement with the plate. The lower end of said lever rests against theside of the draw-bar, and moves through a guide, d, secured to the endof the car, as shown.

f represents a strip of metal secured to the draw-timbers across thespace between them, and having a pin, 1, passing through it into thebottom of the car, which prevents the drawbar from going beyond a trueline.

The operation is as follows:' As the two drawheads come in contact thedraw-bars are forced aside'laterally until the rounded faces of theheads have passed each other, when they are immediately forced back andcoupled by the springs C. The buffer-spring is simultaneouslycompressed, and acts to yield to the force of the sudden impact, andprevents jar to the car-body.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- The combination, ina car-coupler, of the ICJO and the catch-plate e, for engaging the saidarm, substantially as and in the manner set forth and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as I 5 my own I affix mysignature in presence of two hollow drawbar having head and capable oflateral movement, a pin or rod retained therein at its rearward end andadapted to inove in said draw-bar, the movable plates 1) b, throughwhich said pin is guided, the buffer-spring held on the pin between suchplates, the spring witnesses.

(J for restorin the draw'-bar to its position v i T after being moledsidewise, the plate f and CHARLES HANSGEB the pin 1, for preventing saidbar from going X'Vitnesses: "1

SAMUEL F. Coonn, Amos K. Nns'e'rr'r.

beyond a true line, the donble-arn1 lever hav ing its shorter arm sprunginward at the end,

